Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1059737

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Batteries: Manufacturing Industries
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the (a) social and (b) environmental effect on the (i) Democratic Republic of Congo and (ii) other similar countries of increasing demand for (A) cobalt, (B) lithium and (C) other elements in battery manufacture.
tabling member constituency	Hemel Hempstead
tabling member printed	Sir Mike Penning
uin	220144
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to address the problems associated with mining and conflict minerals. This includes through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme for diamonds; the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights around mines; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Due Diligence Guidance for the responsible sourcing of minerals; and the Modern Slavery Act.</p><p>Both the UK and The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are members of the Extractives International Transparency Initiative (EITI). The EITI is the global standard for the good governance of oil, gas and minerals, which sets out what information on extractives should be publicly available. The DRC is making progress with timely disclosure of this information.</p><p>Increased demand for minerals, including cobalt and lithium, has seen many people in the DRC take to working as artisanal miners to earn a living, often illegally. Working conditions are frequently unsafe and exploitative. Reports of widespread child labour are of particular concern. The mining industry is better regulated in Zambia and companies accused of abuses have faced legal action. The UK is funding projects on the prevention of child labour in artisanal mines and on remediation work for victims of slavery in the extractive sector.</p><p>Pollution caused by mining activity has led to environmental degradation and resource depletion across Africa. Illegally mined minerals are frequently smuggled out of the DRC to neighbouring countries such as Rwanda and Burundi. Environmental accountability is difficult to enforce upon these illegal operations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 19/02/2019 15:44:31 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1528 label Biography information for Sir Mike Penning

1059773

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Yemen: Capital Punishment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of people sentenced to death in Yemen in (a) 2015, (b) 2016, (c) 2017 and (d) 2018.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Keith Vaz
uin	220070
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>Our lack of access and presence on the ground make it difficult to assess the number of people sentenced to death in Yemen. The UK's position on the use of the death penalty is longstanding and clear; we oppose its use in all circumstances and countries.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 20/02/2019 15:33:33 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	338 label Biography information for Keith Vaz

1059774

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Yemen: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Moroccan counterparts on the conflict in Yemen.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Keith Vaz
uin	220071
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK has taken the lead in urging the international community to support the efforts to achieve an inclusive political settlement in Yemen. However, I have not spoken directly about this issue with my Moroccan counterparts.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 20/02/2019 15:34:59 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	338 label Biography information for Keith Vaz

1059776

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Yemen: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assurances he has sought from the United Arab Emirates Government that UK-produced weapons have not reached rebel factions in the conflict in Yemen.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Keith Vaz
uin	220072
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>Export licence applications to all countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, including Criterion 7 – the risk that exports might be diverted. We engage regularly with UAE authorities on the conflict in Yemen and we will keep the situation under constant review.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 20/02/2019 15:39:48 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	338 label Biography information for Keith Vaz

1059777

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Yemen: Judiciary
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assurances he has sought from authorities in Yemen on the independent functioning of the judiciary in that country.
tabling member constituency	Leicester East
tabling member printed	Keith Vaz
uin	220073
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>​The UK has been active in encouraging parties to the conflict to preserve state institutions and service provisions. We also engage closely with UN agencies on plans to revive basic functions of rule of law, which enfolds support to the judiciary. We have earmarked funding to support these efforts as soon as the operational context is permissible.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 20/02/2019 15:40:58 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	338 label Biography information for Keith Vaz

1060026

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	East Africa: Diplomatic Relations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to improve diplomatic relations with the nations that make up the East African Community.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	220115
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office attaches great importance to the countries of the East African Community. We are clear that our approach must rest on modern partnerships of equals, built on shared interests and common goals. As we strengthen our Africa network we will deploy more staff to the region to help deepen our partnership with those countries.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 19/02/2019 15:42:17 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1060059

registered interest
date	12/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Ascension Island: Marine Protected Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make it his policy to allocate adequate funding to enable Ascension Island to be established as a marine protected area.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	220129
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government committed £1.2 million of funding to Ascension to undertake the scientific research to underpin their designation of a Marine Protected Area. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to work closely with our delivery partners to prepare the case for ongoing long-term support to those Territories who have participated in the Blue Belt programme, including Ascension.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 20/02/2019 15:09:19 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

1058682

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Egypt: Tourism
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterpart on increasing the number of UK tourists to that country.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	219431
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>Numbers of UK tourists to Egypt continue to increase – last year an estimated 415,000 British citizens visited Egypt compared to 319,000 in 2017. Ministers and officials have discussed the increasing number of UK tourists to Egypt with counterparts and we continue to work in partnership with the Egyptian authorities to mitigate risks to travellers' safety and security.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 19/02/2019 15:41:03 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1058684

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Ethiopia: Politics and Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Ethiopian counterpart on strengthening democracy in that country.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	219433
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/02/2019 answer text <p>I most recently spoke with the Ethiopian State Minister of Foreign Affairs on 23 January. We discussed the political situation in Ethiopia, the rehabilitation process and the role that religious groups are playing. We also discussed the increasing activity of civil society groups, and I welcome the passing of a new civil society law on 7 February. This built on my discussions with the State Minister of Finance during the annual UK–Ethiopia Aid Talks last October, when I offered the UK’s support to Government efforts to establish a new legislative platform which underpins democracy. Our support is strengthening the capacity of the Attorney General’s Office, which is leading the reform agenda. We have also supported consultation with civil society groups across Ethiopia on the new civil society legislation.</p><p>​</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 18/02/2019 15:15:46 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1058713

registered interest
date	11/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Sri Lanka: Armed Conflict
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of files held by his Department in relation to Sri Lanka dating from the 1970s and 1980s that (a) have been and (b) are planned to be destroyed.
tabling member constituency	Slough
tabling member printed	Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi
uin	219553
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/02/2019 answer text <p>​The FCO is unable to collate these estimates of file destruction within the timescale provided without incurring disproportionate cost.</p><p>The FCO, as with all government departments, reviews all its files in line with the requirements of the Public Records Act before making a decision on permanent preservation. This applies to all files from the 1970s and 1980s relating to Sri Lanka which the FCO has already reviewed under the Act.</p><p>Selection of such records for permanent preservation took place under the guidance and supervision of The National Archives.</p><p>The Public Records Act does not require departments to preserve files if they are of no long-term historical value. For instance, the FCO may destroy a file if it only contains administrative or ephemeral content or because it only contains information which is already in the public domain.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 14/02/2019 16:36:27 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4638 label Biography information for Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi